stoic STOH-ik (noun) – 1 : (Capitalized). A member of a school of philosophy founded by Zeno holding that one should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and should submit without complaint to unavoidable necessity. 2 : Hence, one who is apparently or professedly indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain, joy or grief.

(adjective) – 1 : Of or pertaining to the Stoics; resembling the Stoics or their doctrines. 2 : Not affected by passion; being or appearing indifferent to pleasure or pain, joy or grief.

“A Stoic never evaded life: he faced it. A Stoic never avoided responsibility: he accepted it. A Stoic not only believed in liberty: he practised it.” — H. J. Duteil, ‘The Great American Parade’

Stoic comes from Greek stoikos, literally “of or pertaining to a colonnade or porch,” from stoa, “a roofed colonnade, a porch, especially, a porch in Athens where Zeno and his successors taught.”